While 82 per cent of employers globally said focusing on employee well-being is helping them combat talent scarcity, just 67 per cent of employers in Canada said the same, according to a new survey by Randstad Sourceright.

The global survey, which polled more than 900 human resources and C-suite leaders across 18 countries, found 84 per cent of global business leaders said they’re more focused on talent experience than ever before. A vast majority (80 per cent) believe that putting personal well-being first is important to job applicants when it comes to culture, while 62 per cent are also investing in workplace culture, employee feedback and engagement systems to better gauge employee sentiments and understand their needs.

Read: Employers planning for post-pandemic future focusing on employee well-being, virtual health care

Across all global respondents, 30 per cent said talent scarcity is a major pain point. The same percentage (30 per cent) said talent is retiring or voluntarily choosing to leave the workplace, followed by increased competition for top talent (16 per cent).

When it comes to diversity, equity and inclusion, the survey found 88 per cent of Canadian leaders are embedding DEI in their talent strategies and are integral to everything they do. However, just 54 per cent said their hiring practices supported their diversity goals in 2021.

“Canadian businesses will need to better understand how workplace diversity, equity and inclusion are fundamental elements of their talent strategy,” said Veronica Frisch, executive vice-president and head of Randstad Sourceright in Canada, in a press release. “The reality is, by sustaining the momentum behind their DEI efforts, they will expand their talent pools and gain greater access to highly-qualified professionals.”

Read: How the TTC’s first-ever chief diversity, culture officer is driving change

While the survey also found two-thirds of Canadian business leaders plan to hire extensively this year, they’re also thinking outside the box to fill roles. When asked which levers were most effective in combating talent scarcity, the top answers for Canadian employers included: building talent pools for future needs, providing flexible working situations, increasing pay and offering sign-on bonuses, seeking talent outside of their typical geographies and engaging more contingent talent.

In addition, 50 per cent of respondents said they expect their permanent workforce to work remotely at least part of the time, while 65 per cent have asked employees to come back onsite for at least a few days a week.

Read: Third of employees have left job for flexible working options